Actress Lee Se-hee has playfully yet firmly addressed the rumors surrounding her 'Vietnamese royal lineage.'
On the 5th, Lee Se-hee appeared on the MBC variety show 'Omniscient Interfering View' and directly stated, "I am not of Vietnamese royal descent. I am from the Jeonju Lee clan," correcting the 'Hwasan Lee' rumors that had spread online for some time.
Lee Se-hee gained broad public recognition through the KBS2 weekend drama 'Gentleman and Lady,' leading some internet users to speculate that her ancestral lineage is from 'Hwasan Lee.' Hwasan Lee is a surname that began when Yi Yong-sang, the son of King Yeongjong of the Vietnamese Ly dynasty, fled to the Korean Peninsula from a coup and settled there. In 1995, the Vietnamese government officially recognized them as descendants of nobility. Subsequently, rumors spread that Lee Se-hee was 'an actress from a family treated like royalty in Vietnam.'
However, Lee Se-hee joked, "They said I was of royal descent, so I just left it at that," and when Jun Hyun-moo asked, "So you're not from Hwasan Lee?" she clearly replied, "I am from the Jeonju Lee clan." Lee Yong-ja, who was next to her, remarked, "So that means your ancestor is General Yi Sun-sin, right?" and Lee Se-hee nodded, acknowledging this and eliciting laughter.
Lee Yong-ja also mentioned Lee Se-hee's hometown, Iptang-myeon in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, saying, "That's where they have famous king prawns, peaches, and beef," listing local specialties that surprised the cast. In response, Lee Se-hee expressed her amazement, saying, "It's a small township, so it's surprising that everyone knows about it."
During the broadcast, Lee Se-hee cleverly refuted the rumors with her unique cheerful and candid charm, revealing her desire to connect with the public. She stood firm against baseless speculation and succeeded in building even more trust with the audience.
Meanwhile, Yang Se-hyung, who appeared on the show, also mentioned the rumors, saying, "I feel like I've seen that somewhere before," while Song Eun-i added, "This is the first time I've seen you talk so passionately about something other than food," which further lightened the mood.
Through this broadcast, Lee Se-hee not only clarified matters but also reinforced her presence as an 'actress who communicates' in her own approachable way.
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